Safety-stirrup.



UNITED srrnrg s PATENT orrroa WILLIAM V. JOHNSTON, OF EVERETT, WASHINGTON.

SAFETY-STIRRUP.

Application filed May 7, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM V. JOHNS- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Everett, in the county of Snohomish and State of \Vashington, have invented new and useful Improvements in Safety-Stirrups, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improved safety stirrup provided with a detachable link to which the stirrup strap is connected and with automatically acting means. to detach the stirrup from the link in the event that the rider should be thrown or fall from his horse to prevent the rider from being dragged and the said invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:Figure 1 is an elevation of a safety stirrup constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is partly an elevation and partly a sectional view of the same with the stirrup strap omitted.

In accordance with my invention, the stirrup 1 is provided in its upper side with a recess 2 which has an opening 3 in its under side at its center and openings 1 at its ends. A pair of hooks 5 are pivotally mounted as at G and have upwardly extending headed or billed portions 7, and downwardly and inwardly inclined arms 8 which arms operate in the recess 2 and have their inner lower ends extending downwardly as at 9 and located above the center of the stirrups, the arms 7 extending upwardly from the stirrups as shown. A. spring 10 is secured at its center in the upper side of the recess 2 and its ends bear downwardly on the arms 8 of the hooks so that the said spring serves to normally keep the said hooks in the engaged position shown in the drawings. I also provide a link 12 which Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 7, 1909.

Serial No. 494,576.

is detachably connected to the stirrup by means of the hooks. The said link is here shown as comprising a tubular upper portion 13 in the ends of which the bills or heads of the hooks engage and a lower portion 14 having an opening 15 for the passage of the stirrup strap a which passes around the tubular portion 13.

In the event that the rider is thrown or falls from his horse, his foot by engaging the downturned portions 9 of the arms 8 of the hooks will turn said hooks against the tension of the spring 10 and cause them to disengage the link and hence the stirrup will become detached from the stirrup strap and link and all danger of the rider being dragged is avoided.

What is claimed is A stirrup having a recess in its upper side, said recess opening at its ends in the upper portion of the stirrup and also opening downwardly above the center of the stirrup, hooks pivotally mounted on said stirrup, having upturned arms provided with inturned heads or bills, said hooks being further provided with downwardly extending arms operating in said recess and provided with downturned end portions which extend downwardly in the upper portion of the stirrup above the foot rest thereof, and a spring in said recess bearing on said lower arms of the hooks and normally securing the hooks in engaged position, in combination with a link for connection to a stirrup strap and having recesses in its ends for engagement by the heads of bills of the hooks.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM V. JOHNSTON.

Witnesses FRANK ROBINSON, THOS. A. S'rneon. 

